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| This is what I had planned for today's entry. As you can see, that didn't happen. |
Originally, I logged on my blog in an attempt to begin work on that "promise" I made two days ago. However, as I began typing things out, the willpower to do so practically vanished soon afterwards. Dismayed, I almost gave up - but then I remembered something: I wanted to work on revitalizing my blogging spirit (and in doing so, my writing spirit would be revived as well). I've had enough with dragging my fingers through the keyboard and posting things that I'm ashamed to call "entries."
Of course, when the willpower vanished, it took with it the access keys to my creativity. Or to put it another way: I had no idea what to write. So instead, I decided to look at my blog, hoping I could find something to recall my inspiration. Long story short: I didn't find anything (considering how the majority of the first 57 days of the year composed of those "entries," this isn't surprising).
However, I did find that things on my blog were in severe need of updates. Headers and side notes that were last updated at the 2011/2012 block. Incomplete pages that so desperately yearned to be finished. Lists that were as outdated as the Oscars. So, I set to work on that, figuring that the look of any personal diary is just as important as its contents.
The changes are subtle, but observant readers will be able to catch them. I think I did okay.
CURRENT MUSIC:
Keiki Kobayashi - "Ephemeral Dream"
Soulcalibur III Original Soundtrack (Legend of Sounds)
Humanity is but a fleeting species - and with it, our dreams. And while I could regale to you vague passages involving how invariably short our lifespans are, I'm going to go ahead and
"Ephemeral Dream" is a track that seems to bring its words to life through music. Used in Soulcalibur III as the music for Setsuka's stage, this piece carries with it a beautiful melody that almost pains me to listen to. It's not that it's bad-sounding at all (if it truly was, I doubt I'd subject myself to it over and over) - it's because the piece seems to be dripping (romantic) tragedy and vengeance all over.
Should you be familiar with the lore behind the Soulcalibur series, you can understand my logic. For those not interested in the lore (and those not imaginative enough) - which, admittedly, is just about everyone else - Setsuka is a woman seeking revenge against the man who permanently wounded her master. Such devotion was revealed to be undying love for him - and despite his last words of not pursuing vengeance, she decided to track down this man... this "enemy" of hers... regardless.
If you're making a movie or play and you're looking for some background piece to spice up that climatic duel between former lovers, someone who killed the other's lover, or just wanted something cool to use for (sword)fight music, try "Ephemeral Dream." Even if your media creation isn't set in feudal Japan's Azuchi–Momoyama period, use it and be amazed at the effectiveness. If this doesn't heighten the tension and drama, I'm not sure what will.
The Glitch Mob - "Animus Vox"
Drink the Sea
Before the start of 2013, one of my coworkers recommended that I try listening to The Glitch Mob. I had been looking for new things to throw in my iPod, and seeing as how I have a rather eclectic taste of music, I figured that I might as well take his suggestion. So after finding a copy of the album and uploading it to my music device, it was never to be heard from again.
Until last night, that is. As I was driving home through the farmland outskirts of town, I had set my iPod to random. Frankly, I was getting a little annoyed at the selection it was playing. Not that there was anything wrong with the music - I just wanted something in the background to match the lonely and dark atmosphere (and believe me when I say that Japanese pop won't make the cut... *laughs*). After skipping about ten songs, "Animus Vox" started playing. Unable to identify the artist, I was about to skip the track when I glanced at the iPod's screen and identified The Glitch Mob. I sighed, figuring, 'What the hell?'
I felt that the nearly-seven minute electronica piece matched the nocturnal night drive perfectly. It generated a beat strong enough to street race to (don't ask), and at the same time was somehow subtle enough to encourage a stealthy special-ops infiltration (again, don't ask). In other words: I liked what I listened to. So much, in fact, that I'm actually listening to the whole of Drink the Sea at the moment of this blog's composure.
It is easy enough to be pleasant
When life flows by like a song,
But the man worth while is the one who will smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox (Poems of Cheer, "Worth while" lines 1-4)
I remember seeing this a few weeks back on a print of Coffee News. I thought to myself, 'Well, this is quite true - I may not have been smiling 100% of the time, I've done my best to stay afloat amidst this rough sea of life.' While these may be a few simple lines of poetry, it is these words that have assisted in keeping my spirits up despite my rather grim situation.
Yeah, I know - it's not the greatest work of poetry out there, but it's something to appreciate. "To each his own," right?
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the 58th entry of 2013!
Now, I'm sure some of you are here because you so happened to click that link I slapped on my Facebook profile. Out of sheer curiosity (or boredom - take your pick), you went against your better judgement and decided to see just where the frak I've been content-wise. I mean, I've been here, but I haven't been here - the entries are anything but "worth reading," I've been as cryptic as those vaguebookers that annoy you to no end, and I've yet to achieve a higher state of popularity. Eh.
Regardless of the reasons why you're reading this, you're here, and so I might as well take the opportunity to discuss what I've been "reworking" on here. As mentioned earlier, I committed myself to making changes to the appearance of my personal blog here (among other things).
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| If you actually remember all the pages that are currently on the drafting board, you've been reading this blog for far too long now. =P |
So, I decided to start small. I made some subtle changes around the site as previously mentioned. Titles and subtitles have been reworked to make me sound less silly (though no less hammy). Side blurbs and information boxes have been properly updated as they should be - no more wondering if I'm still playing certain video games or reading certain webcomics. That sort of thing. I've also been playing with the templates somewhat, and from the virtual editor, the changes look interesting. While flashy and splashy looks grab attention, I also know that subtlety and simplicity are still appreciated by many, so don't be afraid of the overall look changing any.
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| Diabolical changes were had once Pinkie Pie wore that mustache... (My phone's wallpaper was originally created by "KP-ShadowSquirrel" and found on deviantArt.) |
Of course, knowing me, it would be criminal for me to not get sidetracked even further. Sure enough, I did - and now I got several ideas on what I could do. Surprisingly, this all somehow stemmed back to my blog in some way. That's good, because getting sidetracked like crazy is always a fun thing to recover from. (And I mean that sarcastically.)
I ended up reading various blogs across the Internet, from blogs I used to frequent when I was (much) younger all the way to ones I used to visit but stopped reading due to various circumstances. My theory was that I could draw some inspiration from those people and sites. This inspiration could then transform into something malleable that I can play with. Eventually, it would become something I would actually take the time to post or incorporate on this blog - or it could be something brand new that gets me to make a second blog! (Greaaaat... as if one blog by me wasn't already enough. =P) As I keep reading, the ideas just keep coming - and I'm sure I can get one of those to stick.
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| A tiny bit of photomanipulation, and now everyone's favorite merchant can appear to be working for me. (The original image is used to inform Fire Emblem Awakening players who bought unreleased content to hold on.) |
The overall goal I'm going for is simple: get back to blogging and get people to read my stuff again. It's much, much easier in print than in reality, but I somehow have the feeling that I'll be able to accomplish that. I'm hoping so - considering that my dream (according to StreetPass!me) is to be popular, it would be a BIG letdown if I were to fail at this.
This is it for today's
Until the 'morrow, fair readers! Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to presenting you with delicious changes, old and new! So say we all!
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